OPENING OF THE NELSON PROVINCIAE COUNCIL.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVII, Issue 54, 5 May 1868, Page 2

OPENING OF THE NELSON PROVINCIAE COUNCIL.

[From tho Nelson Examiner, April 23.] Tho eighteenth session of the Provincial Council was opened by the Superintendent on Tuesday last, and the address delivered by his Honour will be read with attention. It very properly coinmeuced with an expression of regret, that the contemplated visit of the Duke of Edinburgh New Zealand had been prevented through a dastardly attempt made on the Prince's life, and appealed to the Council to pass addresses of sympathy to the Queen aud to the .Royal sufferer. The Superintendent next referred to the disturbances that had recently taken place at Addison's Flat, and everyone will rejoice to hear that — thanks to the judicious conduct of Mr. Commissioner Kynnersley — there is no reason to apprehend they will be renewed. The conduct pursued by Mr. Kynnersley has been a good deal criticised, but if peace is preserved, while tho law is vindicated, the course adopted by the Commissioner will commend itself to the approval of all temperate-minded men. The financial statement made by his Honour we regard, on the whole, as highly satisfactory. The revenue of the past year amounted to £130,000, while the expenditure was £145,000, thus causing an overdrawn account at the Bank, of £0,000. As far as tho indebtedness of the province goes, it stands in about the same position as it did last year; but the province is really in a far better financial position. At the former period, an expenditure was going forward on tho "West Coast which it was impossible to check, contracts being out for largo works rendered necessary by the rapid development of the South-west Gold-fields. Now the case is different. The revenue of the year ia not forestalled, except by the overdraft spoken of, and from all the accounts Laving been made up to tho close of the financial year ab tho end of last month, no outstanding account can hereafter turn up to derange the balance-sheet. As the public expenditure was formerly conducted, the Government could never say what its financial condition really was ; money-orders given by heads of road parties were not reported, aud nothing was known of them till presented for payment. In some cases this did not take place for several months after they "were issued, so that claims on the Government were constantly being made of which nothing previously was known. This loose way of conducting business has been rectified, and a return is now made monthly of the orders issued, so that whether presented for payment or not, the Government can ascertain its liabilities. Tho Superintendent estimates the revenue for the current year at tho amount received for last year, and proposes to provide out of it for the payment of the overdraft; and, owing to tho uncertainty of gold-fields' revenue, to keep the monthly expenditure within the monthly receipts. His Honour enumerates the titles of some six or seven bills he proposes to lay before the Council, none of which require any special notice. It will perhaps, however, be as well to say, that one of them, a bill to provide for the leasiug of wharves and jetties, Las been singularly misapprehended by our contemporary the Colonist. It is assumed, quite gratuitously, by the journal in question, that should this bill pass, the Government will henceforward let public wharves, jetties, aud quays, by private contract instead of by public auction. No doubt the object of the bill id to give this power, and in certain cases it will be wise to exercise it, but it by no means follows that this would bo the rule. At Motuekafor instance, it is desirable that the jetty should be leased to the Koad Board at a nominal rental, the Board undertaking to maintain the jetty in repair. It is rather out; of place perhaps to mention this circumstance here, but wo do it to prevent a misconception getting abroad. Somo disappointment will be caused, we fear, at tho announcement by tho Superintendent, that he does not think it desirable to act upon tho recommendations of the Sanitary Commission this session, and submit a bill to the Council to improve the sanitary state of the city. There ia considerable force in what his Honour says as to the expense the inhabitants of the city will be subjected to this year by tho outlay incident to the water service, and we greatly regret that it should bo necessary to postpone, so important a measuro as the proposed Sanitary Act for a single season. Mr. "Wrigg's report on the proposed Nelson, Cobden, and Weslport Kaihvay is in course of printing, and will be laid before the Council in a day or two. "We are glad to fiud that both in respect of tho cost of constructing tho line, aud the facilities! which the country affords for it, Mr. Wrigg's roport pretty closely confirms the opinions given on tho subject by those who previously gavo it their attention. The fortunate j circuinstancetliatMr. J. Morrison, theLondon agent of tho colony, is now in New Zealand, aud will bo in Nelson in tho course of next month, will enable the Government, we hope, to make arrangements i'ov bringing the scheme before tho notice of English capitalists with the least possible delay. It is satisfactory also to learn that Sir George Grey has promised to give the railway his influential support on reaching England, where the scheme w ill also receive the valuable assistance of Mr. FitzGibbon, the engineer of the Queensland railway, now on his way to Canada, but who will be in England by the end of the ensuing summer. Considering tho manner in which the Government was deceived by tho parties who obtained a lease of tho Grey coal mine, everyone will be heartily glad to ilnd that it has been able lo terminate l tho lease, and resume possession of the property. As a temporary measure, until trustworthy parties can bo found lo lease the mine, tho Government will arrange to carry on the workti, and so prevent the inconvenience that would be experienced by putting a total stop to the trade, and the consequent depreciation of the property. "While fully concurring in the objections that have been made to the Government; becoming a trading

coal company, we consider the determination to prevent so mischievous a proceeding as the total cessation of the work, to be both wise and politic. The report lately furnished by the Colonial Engineer, gives all the information necessary to enable a decision to be come to respecting the construction of a dock or slip in our harbour for the repair of shipping. The Superintendent thinks it will be impolitic to let the question longer rest, aud instead of waiting for some one to construct the work, and accept the interest which the Government was prepared to guarantee, that it will be better for tho Government to undertake the work itself, and proceed with it at once. His Honour would appropriate for this purpose the £12,000 set aside two years ago towards liquidating the provincial debt of £21,000— a proceeding rendered unnecessary by the " Public Debts Act" of the last session of the Assembly. This sum of £12,000, supplemented by a moderate vote of the Council, would fully suffice for the present year, and next year the work might be completed. It will be premature to express any decided opinion on the proposal until .we have the Provincial Engineer's plans and estimates before us, but if a substantial dock can be constructed with the means at our command without unduly crippling other works, it will be a justifiable outlay of public money, and will prove of great service to the province. The Superintendent in his address referred to several other matters of public interest which however call for no special notice here.